Italy v USA Post Match Comments

Clint Dempsey’s 55th minute strike was enough to hand Italy coach Cesare Prandelli his second consecutive home loss and raise serious questions about the Azzurri’s Euro title hopes.

For Jurgen Klinsmann the win was his fourth straight victory and his biggest since taking over as national team coach. Speaking after the match, goal scorer Clint Dempsey expressed the importance of the win to his side.

“It’s important to come to places like this and play big teams on their own soil and get results,” Dempsey said.

“At times it wasn’t pretty but we grounded out the result tonight.”

Equally impressed was Jurgen Klisnmann who believes tha win can spur his side onto greater achievements.

“Obviously from our end, we are really pleased with the game and with the result,” Klinsmann said. “If you beat Italy on their own soil then that means a lot. For us, the goal was to learn – to come here to learn.”

The win was no doubt huge if you consider the fact that this was the first time the US had beaten Italy in 11 games over a span of 78 years. Meanwhile, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli maintained that despite losing, he is still optimistic of a good Euro tournament this summer.

“It was an undeserved loss, but with this spirit we will have a great European Championship because I was happy with the squad,” he said.

“Obviously to play every three months is complicated, but I’m convinced that we will have a great Euro 2012. One-hundred days from the Euros? I am absolutely not worried,” he concluded.

Prandelli should be very worried as he faces a tough opener against world and defending Euro champions Spain on June 10. The Spaniard’s were 5-0 winners over Venezuela and seem to have gathered a sizeable momentum ahead of the tournament.